Changing teaching methodology in classical dance

by Subashini PATHMANATHAN

Indian classical dances are considered as divine dance forms. Earlier classical dance teachers firmly, adhered to the styles and to the standards.

Most of the classical dance forms were adopted by the Gurukula traditions.

Gurukulam means - where the ‘Shishas’ (students) stayed with the traditional ‘Gurus’ and served them learned and absorbed the art forms. These traditional heredity Gurus took the dance classes without any time limit. They not only taught the art forms, but also gave full confidence to their students, and taught the nuances of the dances and encouraged them along with the dance training.

They were also trained in the classical music. The students learned the art with full dedication, devotion, and involvement. During that period it was considered as a full time profession.

Earlier the traditional Gurus taught the art according to the students’ talents, ability, age, and different skills. The students in Gurukula System learnt the art under one and the same teacher, for years together. It cherished the individual, independent, creativity, and perfection of the students in their particular dance forms. With the passage of time, this art form has moved to institutions. Then the institutions, the teaching methodology took a different dimension.

In the institutions the students have both advantages and disadvantages. They learn the art in a systematic manner doing both theory and practice. In addition they were taught vocal and instrumental music. Yet many of the institutions unfortunately impart theory, which is not very relevant to the practical side of the dancing career.

At one institution a student is supposed to learn the dancing, under different teachers at different stages at different years which affect the model idea about the dance forms. The student is supposed to learn the different aspects of dance under different teachers. Besides these, the course is confined to a particular time limit, and a prescribed syllabus. Moreover, dance teachers try to impose their own rigid, vigorous, creativity ideas, which blunt the creativity of the student community.

Most of the students today learn the dance as a part time activity.

Generally they attend classes twice a week, or once a week. Even these classes are restricted to one or two hours a week.

In Sri Lanka classical dance form is introduced as a subject at school level. Most of the students take dance just as a normal subject to gain a credit pass or to got a distinction at the GCE examination, without considering the aesthetic value of the art form. Teachers also teach the subject as a routine without taking much efforts.

Earlier the dance teachers were good vocalists, and they had a very good knowledge in the classical music. The knowledge of classical music is very much needed for a dance teacher. Today the knowledge of classical music is very much lacking among the dance teachers. Most of the teachers are using the tape music or CD players for the practices, as well as for the recitals.

Like other educational faculties distance education programme has also penetrated in the teaching technology in the dance field. Today you can earn a degree, or diploma in the classical dance forms. Instead of performing the dance, the present generation of students is always keen on earning a degree or diploma. Their aim is to get an employment.

The students who are following the distance education in dance are learning through the printed theory materials, as well as through CD demonstrations. It is not a healthy method for learning dance because performing art should be learnt under the guidance of a Guru.